Our girls

I've been wanting a new camera for ages now and my sweet friend Becky let me borrow her Canon Rebel for a few days to try it out and capture the newness of the little peanut before she turns into a coconut.  I was really happy with the shots I got of all my girls and thought I'd share after a little nudging from mama wicky.  I had so much fun using her camera that I've put it on my Christmas list to Santa with the hope that I haven't been too naughty.

My time has been pretty used up these days with nursing, swaddling, rocking, diapers, storybook reading, and trying to get a few extra winks in from time to time.  Friends & family have been incredibly thoughtful by bringing us meals, helping with the little miss, and sending gifts of love.  We are grateful to be surrounded by our little community of friendship.  You are all a blessing to us. 

The littlest sister

Sweet Josie Love joined our family
 on Sunday, November 21st at 3am
 in the comfort of her daddy's arms.
She was born a healthy 6 pounds and 12 ounces
at home while her youngest sister slept.
Her biggest sister was an incredible help
throughout the labor and birth
and stayed up with us until dawn
welcoming our little peanut.

Josie's birth story:
The "due date" for our baby was said to be November 20th which we were skeptical of as the other two girls were born ten days and two weeks later than the projected date.  Needless to say I was a bit surprised (although excited) by the contractions that started around 4am on Saturday the 20th.  I asked Matt to call in sick as I was sure the baby was coming.  He did.  And within 3 hours the contractions had stopped almost completely I was so disappointed.  We went on a walk around our neighborhood, visited friends at a birthday party, and laid low for the day.  Matt debated going in to work that afternoon since there was no sign of labor, but stayed home at my request.  By 10:30pm the contractions started coming much more
 regularly and with more power than before.  Bri got out of bed when I told her I thought the baby was coming that night and kept me company until around 1am when I decided to wake the Mr up.
It was not a friendly wake-up.  It was a "why the hell are you sleeping while I'm suffering" awakening.
Needless to say he was slightly dazed and confused by my crankiness.  I wanted to know when the heck he was going to call the midwife cause the contractions were coming fast and furious.  The next couple hours were somewhat of a blur.  My daughter, husband and midwife were readying the room while I concentrated on getting through the contractions.  They took turns assisting and comforting me between preparations.  At 3am our little girl made her entrance with my oldest daughter and husband by my side.  Mr. N held her as she came into the world and announced to me that we had another little girl.  I looked up at Bri who had lost the color from her face and looked like she was about to drop on the floor.  She was helped to a chair where she could regain her stomach.  Josie was wrapped in a towel and brought to my chest immediately.  My Mr woke Maya to meet her new sister.  We were left alone as a family to enjoy our beautiful new gift.

I loved having our little Josie at home.
I loved being in my own room, in my own bed.
I loved the sweetness of our time to enjoy
our little beauty and embrace her new life as a family
in the warmth of our nest.
I loved the peacefulness that surrounded us
from the moment I went into labor,
throughout the birth and after she arrived.

I love my little Josie.
She is yet another blessing in my life.
I am thankful beyond words.

Nesting

{our pre-pregnancy nest}

{our little nest now}

My sweet Mr. has been working away

 to carry out my every desire in preparing our home

 for the newest little addition

 and he has left nothing undone.

 He has built, sanded, scrubbed & painted ~

feathering our nest to my heart's contentment.

 Just adding to the many reasons I LOVE this man!

I've still got some wallspace to decorate,

but oh how I am enjoying my new restful space.

The time is drawing near and I'm feeling ready

to embrace this new little life with arms wide open.

the baby~moon

The Mr. and I went on a
little getaway to Cambria last week
for some "we" time
where we soaked up the solitude & quiet.
No whining.
No arguing.
No chauffering.
No attitude.
No entertaining anyone but ourselves.

We spent our time walking by the beach,
eating fabulous food at Robin's
(my new Cambria favorite~thanks Amy),
listening to the waves crash from our sweet little room,
reading,
yoga,
surfing,
just being.

It was wonderful.

A big thank you to my in-laws for allowing us to take time
for ourselves before we venture into babyland.

We loved it!

Showered & Blessed

This past weekend my sweet cousin through me a party
for the new life growing inside. 
Regardless of the gloomy weather,
some of my favorite mothers joined me in a sweet celebration. 
We dined on a freshly catered french meal
set before us on a table dressed for royalty. 
I felt utterly spoiled and loved.

After our amazing lunch~friends and family
blessed me with words of love, support and kindness
while I just sat and savored the treasure of their friendships. 
It was truly a beautiful experience that I will always remember. 

"Labor" day is fast approaching (a month away)
and I am getting prepared for our new little life outside the womb. 
We've decided to wait on finding out the sex
of our sweet new journey, but will know soon enough. 

Hoping to start posting a bit more before that day comes.

So long

to our favorite summer treat...the root beer float.

we will miss you as fall approaches, but are looking forward to
our winter friend...warm apple cider.

do you have a favorite summer or winter treat?

A little tart

is the best description i can muster of how i've been feeling...emotionally.  this pregnancy stuff sure gets my hormones headed in every direction except the sane one.  the lapse in posting has really only been due to every day busy-ness and stress of life.  that and i really haven't had any words that seemed worthwhile. 

but here are a few anyhow: 
teenagers are meant to drive you to tears and push you so far over the edge
that the empty nest fear becomes more of a countdown
(NEVER thought i'd say that). 
of course i'm joking. kind of. 

tantrums at five and a half years old should really be illegal. 

making housing and health care decisions for the elderly who didn't plan in advance
for old age causes the gray to come in quickly.

paypal is just way to easy to use...and can really get one into trouble.

etsy floats my boat. 

a couple of hours with good friends
feels like seeing rainbows in their brightest hues.

chickens are really dumb. cute. but dumb.

i love the fact that whether my mood is sour or sweet, i wake up to the precious sound of my children's voices, the sparkle in their eyes, the caress of the man i adore and a growing faith in God.

xoxo

Got away

Last weekend my mum and I got away for a wee little girls trip to Seattle then off to Orcas Island to explore the charm and beauty of island life.  It was truly magical.  From our sweet little boat shed (with the outdoor shower), to the amazing food, and the scenery...just breathtaking.  Most of all I enjoyed some one~on~one time with my beautiful mama ~ laughing, shopping, hiking, feasting & sharing precious time together.

 Today, I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to go on travels that fill my life with happy memories.

A little break from reality

This is where you may find me in the next couple of days ~ exploring, reading, eating, relaxing.  Looking forward to a few days away for some girl time.  Be back later next week...

Happy August.

the beach party

Sweet Bri's birthday was last April, as was her party.  I was just thinking back on what a fun time it was and since I never got around to posting photos, thought I'd share a few.  The party was held at my cousin's beautiful beach house.  The kids had a laid back beachy day that was spent playing games, munching on dentist~friendly goodies, surfing and gathering around the bonfire.  It was an "awesome" day.